Hillary Clinton accomplished what all public officials want; protection of her privacy without breaking any laws or regulations. As a voter you can determine whether this is a political story or a real issue by how Congress acts to address the problem.

We won't be able to stop disasters from happening. On the contrary, climate change may increase the frequency and severity of floods, droughts and storms. But we are better equipped today to prepare for them and reduce their impact.

When I saw the news coverage last year of the flood, I felt a sinking feeling, and a longing. Even though it had been years since I'd been to Estes Park, it was always on my "Let's go back" list, always an option.

Overwhelmingly, these talented fellows represent a growing commitment to fighting social issues like poverty, terrorism, infrastructural collapse, and beyond -- through straightforward, effective means. I was lucky to learn from two of them, and share their stories here.

Even though we can't always predict natural disasters, we can anticipate their likely aftermaths, including property loss, power or water service disruption, scarcity of food and supplies and overtaxed relief organizations.

One year ago, a series of devastating tornadoes tore apart Oklahoma homes, schools, child care centers and killed 48 people, including 19 children. Thousands of surviving children were thrown into turmoil. Kids lost friends and loved ones, the places where they lived and learned -- and their sense of security.

In 2007, a financial firestorm ravaged Wall Street and the rest of the country. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy obliterated a substantial chunk of the Atlantic seaboard. We think of the first as a man-made calamity, the second as the malignant innocence of nature.

Have you ever turned on the light in a dark basement and shuddered as cockroaches scurried away? I get that same sense of revulsion whenever I hear about unscrupulous swindlers taking advantage of the victims of natural and manmade disasters.

Once your physical safety has been assured, you'll inevitably need to access important financial and legal records. Taking these few steps now will make accessing such information much easier when the time comes.

Flooded subway stations in New York City. Earthquake damage in the Nation's Capital. The great city of New Orleans under water. These scenes, once seemingly out of science fiction, are all too real today. This is why I am introducing the Homeowners' Defense Act of 2013 in Congress.

When it comes to solving problems, elected officials are inclined to support solutions that allow people to keep behaving as they always have, but with less damage. That's how it has been with America's response to weather-related disasters. It's a response that won't work anymore.

The struggle for me during these times is how to not treat such times as some voyeuristic movie experience that can be paused or halted by powering down my device, but instead find a healthy way to participate in the healing and support.

If the Son of God can Lament, why not us, who are wondering where God is in the midst of all of this. Lament is an act of deep faith. Even as we question, rant or cry, it is God the Father who we are addressing.